Lilith

"Is this really necessary?" I held up my wrists, raising a brow as he glanced at the thick cuffs. It wasn't like I could run away anyway- not that I wouldn't try but they didn't need to know that. These cuffs had been the bane of my existence for these past three years in captivity. It wasn't about power- the last little bit of that I had left was no match for all of them here. I wanted to be free...but I wasn't desperate enough to get myself killed just yet.

Lucifer took his eyes off of me, wrapping an arm around Genesis and kissing her head. I smiled at the small act- knowing if my presence didn't disturb him so much he wouldn't have had to do it.

I sighed, swinging my head to my left. "Xavier, darling," I said softly, a pout on my face. "You liked me, didn't you?"

"Back when my judgment was flawed?" He raised a brow, crossing his arms over his broad chest. "Oh, absolutely."

I dropped the act, rolling my eyes and my eyes landed on the man sitting at the coffee table a few feet away. I leaned forward in my chair, eyeing him as he shuffled through books and countless papers— not paying a glance my way. "Yoo-hoo!" I sang toward him, leaning forward as much as I could in the chair and his eyes met mine.

He had the most electric blue eyes I had ever seen. His long hair was in a small bun on his head, messy strands framing his handsome face as he raised a dark brow at me. "Well, aren't you delectable," I teased, watching his long fingers rub at the short dark stubble on his jaw as he looked at me. I had amazing taste in men— I had managed to have two of the hottest and first men created fall at my feet. When I saw something beautiful, I recognized it and he was captivating.

It probably would've been love at first sight if I still wasn't in love with Adam. That asshole— always coming to see me yet not touching or speaking to me. I had made a lot of mistakes and I had a ton to apologize for, I knew that. But he never acknowledged me anymore.

"What's your name?" I asked him.

"You know," he said, his deep and dark voice like music to my ears— it fit him well. "I've read a lot about you..."

"All good things I hope." I raised my brows.

He chuckled. "Not in the slightest." My smile dropped, making one spread across his own face as he looked back down at the mess in front of him.

"He's starting to really grow on me," Lucifer looked over me to Xavier, hooking his thumb in the gentleman's direction. I heard Xavier chuckle and I shifted in my seat- not used to all this kind of social interaction. I had been trapped in a cell of course, but even before that I never had men just flat-out laugh at me.

A girl walked into the living room- bright blue hair and brown skin as she glanced at me and walked toward Xavier. I remembered her, but she wasn't memorable enough to stick to my mind with a name.

I heard footsteps, making me look back at the entrance and my stomach twisted as the gatekeeper to my freedom strolled in. He was wearing black slacks, and a matching button-up with the sleeves rolled past his tattooed forearms. He smiled at me- a smile that was in no way friendly or welcoming as he walked toward me. "Lilith."

"Syn," I said through gritted teeth as I shrugged a shoulder. "Can't say it's a pleasure to see you."

He tilted his head. "Time hasn't been kind to you, has it?"

"Well, I can't say my current living conditions have helped with that. Have they?"

"I guess not." He circled me. "I figured Adam would've had you all dolled up, though," he said. I felt him behind me, the heat of his eye on my skin as I shifted uncomfortably. "Tsk, tsk, tsk...this won't do."

"Don't worry," the girl in Xavier's arms spoke up. "Gen and I will get her cleaned up and ready."

What?

"Cleaned up and ready for what?" I asked, looking over my shoulder at Syn. My eyes followed him as he circled around and stopped walking in front of me. He crouched down, meeting my eyes as he looked up at me a dangerous glint in his eyes.

Time had changed him too. He looked the same- if anything, more mature. He had the look of a man who had been through more than his fair share of pain- the only difference was that it didn't weather him as it did most people.

As it did with me.

No, he wore it like a fucking Armani suit.

Syn, here in front of me as he was after everything that had happened to him— things I did...It was a frightening sight. I thought he would have killed me by now. I was certain of it, I even dreamed of it. Yet, he didn't lay a hand on me. I knew that didn't mean he wasn't capable of it...he was just waiting for something and the thought of not knowing what that was, was torture in itself.

"You're going to help me," he said simply, grabbing my chin as his green eyes studied my face.

"Why would I do that?" I moved away from his grasp and he smiled. He was a handsome kid, always was. He was his father's son but Genesis definitely added a few sprinkles of magic to his looks. I knew whatever child he had with my daughter would be beautiful and she was, truly.

I'd seen her once.

"You'll do it because then, I might let you go," he whispered, his words lingering in the air as I heard Genesis gasp. Haha, bitch. He was probably lying, but her shock felt nice.

"Right, I'm sure after everything you'll just let me go." I rolled my eyes. "I'm not an idiot, Syn. Just tell me what you want—"

"I'm serious," he said plainly. "Your freedom will be conditional, of course. But I will grant it to you..."

I searched his face for any indication of deceit, but I saw nothing. I knew better— he was his father's son and that made him a liar but I couldn't deny it, I was intrigued. "What would you want me to do?"

"Help us save your daughter," he said. My heart stopped and I froze, trying my hardest to seem unfazed by the mention of Queen— and with anyone else, my falter would've slipped by, but not with him.

I cleared my throat. "Oh, that child. Has she managed to get herself in trouble again?"

"It wasn't her fault..." he clarified and I toyed with my fingers in my lap nervously. He caught the movement, looking at it for a moment before looking at me again. "It was my father's...partly yours as well if I'm being honest."

"No, no." I shook my head. "You all lost the ability to blame me for the things the moment I was locked away. I've been gone for three years. I couldn't have possibly—"

"I'm talking about your actions from centuries ago," he said. "Getting my father to fall for you...stealing his powers and then running off with Adam..."

"You're going to have to clarify." I laughed. "I did all of those a couple of times."

"This bitch—" I heard Genesis mutter and I held back a smile, keeping my eyes on Syn.

"The first time," he replied.

I whistled, glancing up at the ceiling. "That was a long long time ago...what does that have to do with anything?"

"Well, Lucifer— the mad scientist over here decided to play god and try to get revenge on you and God. He created these things—"

"Oh, the feeders?" I shivered in my seat.

"That's not a good name," the handsome man at the coffee table said— delicious bastard.

"You knew about them?" Syn asked me before glancing at his father who was running a hand down his face.

"Of course I do," I said, looking at Lucifer. "The asshole sicced them on me. I had to kill a ton of them."

"You killed them?" Syn asked me with a scoff as his eyes remained on his father. "You didn't tell me that."

"Okay, it was a small irrelevant detail," Lucifer said. "I killed most of them."

"How many of them did you kill?" The man at the coffee table lifted his head.

"At least ten," I said, squinting my eyes as I searched my memory. "At least."

"Most?!" Syn snapped at his father and I snorted in laughter. "You killed most of them when she killed ten out of thirteen?! Why lie and pretend like you're the only one who had information?!"

"In my defense," he said, raising a hand. "I didn't know this woman was alive! It didn't seem important to mention if she wasn't even around."

"So you just took credit?" The man spoke up.

"As men do," I chimed in. "Always stealing a woman's shine."

Syn ran a hand through his hair and looked up at me. "How did you do it?"

I shrugged. "It was easy," she said. "Lucifer was probably in love with me when he created them—"

"Oh, please." Lucifer scoffed and I smiled, ignoring him.

"So they had a soft spot for me and I could be pretty seductive. Just had to enchant them—wait for them to get close enough...then rip their little heart out of their chests."

"Gruesome," a deep voice said, its owner stepping into the living room and my mouth dropped.

"In the three years that I've been in that place...— when did everyone get so sexy?!" I exclaimed. "Back in my time, it was slim pickings. Let me tell you—"

"Could you do it again?" Syn interrupted me. "If one were here...could you kill it?"

"Well, no." His face dropped. "Queen took my magic— that thieving child, you raise them and they just turn on you." I rolled my eyes. "But she could, I guess. Although it'd be nice if I could just have them back."

"You could tell her how to...?" He asked and I tilted my head, not knowing where he was going with this.

"Yes..." I said slowly, beginning to put together everything happening- everyone being here, them pulling me out of my cell...Queen not being here... "Just in how much danger is my daughter in, Syn?"

"A lot."

"With the feeders?"

"Just one," he replied. "He's taken my form and has Queen in this barrier."

"Does she know it's not you?" He nodded and I sighed, rubbing the ragged sweats on my legs anxiously. "Well, okay. Take me to her."

"You'll help us?"

"For my freedom," I responded, ignoring the fear crawling up my skin as I thought about my daughter's predicament. Those creatures were dangerous. I killed them in my prime- when my power was at its absolute peak. I had just taken Lucifer's power so I was unstoppable, but Queen? Even with my guidance, I wasn't sure if she'd be able to manage. It had been years since I'd seen her, but what could that time truly do?

"If she comes back to me safe and sound, I'll give that to you," he promised and I nodded.

"Okay."

"Okay." He nodded, standing back up. "We need to prepare you a bit...maybe get you something to eat and do something about your hair. You look horrendous."

"I look beautiful."

"Maybe some medication for the delusions," he added and I rolled my eyes. "We have a few days before she even wakes up in there," I heard him say to everyone else. "Let's make them count. We need to find a way to drop the barrier for just a moment so Lilith can go inside—"

"What type of barrier, is it?"

"The Caeli-porta," coffee table guy spoke up, standing up and walking over to me with a thick book in hand. He lowered it to my face, pointing at the spell and I glanced up at him.

"Who are you?" I asked. "How do you have this book?"

"Are you familiar with the spell?"

"It's not a spell," I corrected him. "It's a manifestation. It's held up by intention meaning it can be entered with intention- but the creator would be alerted."

"I thought it had to be created with good intention," Syn said. "And I didn't know you could get in..."

"Well, I only know because I created these spells," I admitted. "That is my book." They all looked at me in shock and I furrowed my brows. "What? You all seem to forget that I am from Heaven."

"With how evil you are," Genesis started. "It slips our minds."

I laughed slightly, a smile on my face as I swung my head in her direction. "Shut up, you bitch."

Her face dropped and I looked back at Syn, smiling when he didn't make a move to defend her. "Anyways," I continued. "You're right. That spell in particular is about good intention. To you, this feeder's intentions are malicious but to them, they're doing the right thing and that's enough."

"So we could all go in if we wanted," he asked. "As long as our intentions were to help Queen, right?"

"Hypothetically, yes," I said. "But as I said, they'd be alerted the moment you entered, and who's to say they wouldn't kill Queen right then and there?" I asked. "The only time you can go in undetected is while the creator of the barrier is asleep."

"Okay." He nodded.

"So we wait until they sleep," I said and he shook his head.

"No, you'll be going in as a visitor in a few days," he said. "Then, you could help Queen kill him. If it doesn't work, at least she's not alone in there."

"That's an idea..." I whispered. "But umm...the moment I walk in, they'll know. What's to stop them from just killing me right then and there?"

"You being Queen's mother..."

"And if that's not enough?" I gulped.

"Well, then shit," he said with a smile, crossing his arms as I froze. "But don't worry, we'll prepare you a little bit before throwing you to the wolves."

"Don't worry?" I snapped. "That's easy for you to say when you're not the one that's about to die!"

"Please, I've been dying since the moment this shit started. You'll survive."

Ugh!

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